Week 5 in Salango
July 3, 2007
Margaret Novak
to develop ecotourism as an alternative to their current fishing industry. The system works because volunteers pay the locals for room and board, and then they can use that money to pay for the scuba equipment. For example, we paid the amount of money it took for them to rent the equipment (the instruction was free thanks to our dive instructor, Peter) and in turn we had someplace to sleep and 3 great meals every day.
We (Max,
After class, we went to eat dinner in the little restaurant owned by some of the people taking scuba classes with us. All of the food was really good; we got to eat a lot of seafood, which I love. We also ate a lot of fried bananas and rice. Later on, Mario and I went to the beach and I found all sorts of cool shells, including the infamous spondylus shell, which used to be used as a form of money in Salango 5,000 years ago.
The next day we had another scuba class and then we went out on the boat for some real practice. We learned how to set up all of our equipment and then headed into the water. It wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be; I was pretty warm with the wetsuit on. I didn’t think that I would be nervous scuba diving, but after I got under the water, I realized that it kind of scary to be breathing underwater. However, it was also very exciting!! On our first dive, we just kind of got used to the water and our equipment. The locals boys learned their PADI skills with Peter while Mario and I just swam around and looked at cool stuff on the bottom of the ocean floor. It was kind of cloudy out, so the boat ride home was a bit cold, and everything in the boat got wet and salty (including Mario´s towel, which was completely soaked and smelled of fish….) We changed on the boat, and it was impossible to get the wet suit off, I had to have some help!! Those things can really stick! When we got back, we all went to eat dinner and just hang out.
The next day, we had class again, and then went out for our next dive. This time, we went to a different part of
The next morning, it was time to study for our final exam. We had one last class and then we got our PADI books and started to review for our certification. We all went to the beach to study because the sun was finally out. At this point in time, we not only studied for our certification, but we also finalized the plans of our new international organization called Ecobuzos y Econavigantes (Ecodivers and Econavigators). It was really interesting to see how an organization can be created with just a group of people and an idea. Max jotted down notes while we all discussed the statutes of the organization. After a couple hours, we had decided that the organization will have different locations throughout the world that will offer environmentally friendly water activities, such as scuba diving, to members, volunteers, and people of the local communities in order to create more opportunities for those local communities. After we had created a concrete plan, Max typed up the proposal for Ecodivers and Econavigators. Then, we all went back into Puerto Lopez for the whale festival. It was really fun! Everyone was dancing in the streets and celebrating whale season.
The next day, Mieke, a volunteer from
After we got back, we met up with Peter, Susana, and Mario, who went scuba diving again that day. I am a little jealous as they saw sea turtles, but I also had a blast, so it worked out. We ate dinner and hung out at a bar called Clandestine near the beach for a while. That night, Mario and I slept at the house that Mieke was staying at (owned by one of the guys that took the course with us) as the cabanas at the museum were being taken over by students from the
The next day, Mario and I headed back to Puerto Lopez as we had to get our pictures taken for our dive certification. We hung out and shopped a little bit (I had to buy a hammock) and then we settled down at the little restaurant called Spondylus again. Susanna and Peter didn’t get back until late, but we got to say goodbye. We got the bus at about 7pm and then the ride was only 10 hours back. (Why did it take 5 hours less on the way home??) We arrived in
We are currently sending more volunteers down to Salango. Hopefully more of the local guys will be able to pay for the PADI certification with the money that the volunteers pay for room and board. That is one of the biggest problems that we are facing; the local people don’t have extra money for scuba certification and equipment, and scuba can be quite expensive. However, with more volunteers, more funding, and more organization of the project, they will be able to reach their goal of creating new scuba opportunities in the community. And with our new organization Ecodivers and Econavigators, we will be able to accomplish much in the development of sustainable water use and recreation throughout the entire world. I think that Ecodivers and Econavigators will be able to make a great difference, as I have already seen what is possible in the little town of
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PICTURES FROM OUR RECENT SCUBA COURSE IN SALANGO.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF HUMPBACK WHALES FROM OUR TRIP TO
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